Method of manufacturing automobile license plates



May 927 s. s. ADAMS METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AUTOMOBILE LICENSE PLATES F iled Nov.21, 1924 2 s eets-sheep 1 17206722 02 7 fife iaelzi dam A v M 24 192 May 7 s. s. ADAMS METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AUTOMOBILE LICENSE PLATES.

2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed Nov.2l, 1924 [mum/W era 765mm? Patented May 24, 1927.

UNITED STATES STEPHENS. ADAMS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AUTOMOBILE LICENSE PLATES.

Application filed November 21, 1924. Serial No. 751,384.

This invention relates to a new and useful method of producing vehicle license plates and other plates serially numbered or marked, and the objects of the invention are to produce plates of the class described in an eflicient and economical manner, thereby facilitating the production thereof and reducing the manufacturing plates.

Further objects .of the invention are to provide a method of manufacturing embossed plates, containing numbers of progressively increasing or decreasing denominations, said plates being arranged in a series of predetermined groups and each group being in proper numerical order with the adjoining groups, whereby the finished plates can be arranged in numerical rotation.

Still further objects of the invention are to coordinate the various steps of manufacture of the plates whereby the embossing or printing, or, both, of each series'of groups or plates is done simultaneously on all of the groups and each group or' plate is then severed and perforated and placed in a proper envelop in a predetermined order, thereby eliminating unnecessary labor and operations and increasing the production thereof. V

l/Vith these and other objects in view, my invention consistsin certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawlDgS,iI1]Wl1iCl1-f i Figure 1 is a plan view of a sheet of material from'which the'plates are made. 7 Figure 2 is a top plan view of the die usedin embossing the plates. P

Figure 3'is a plan view of one of the re costs 1 of 1 such movable type bars used in the hundreds column.

Figure 4 is a movable type bars used in the-tens column. Figure 5 is a plan'view of "the sheetwith the numbers embossed thereon. i Figure 6 .isacross sectional detail view of the sheet 'and' showing the 'manner, in'

which the embossed characters are coated with color. I

Figure 7 is a top plan view of. one section of the sheet and showing the embossed characters coatedwith another color;

FigureS is an endelevational view of two strips containinglike numbers, "said strips plan view of one of the rebeing arranged insuperimposed, relation in readiness for the severing operation.

I Figure 9 is a top plan View of the superimposed strips and showing in cross section the devices for perforatingand' severing the strips transversely into the respective plates. 7 Figure 10 is a similar view showing said strips in advanced position.

. Figure 11 is a fragmental detail View of the belt conveyor and the envelope support.

Figure 12 is a top plan view of the envelope blank with a corresponding pair of plates positioned thereon.

Figure 13 is a perspective detail view of an envelop folded over a pair of plates. 7

Figure 14 is a top plan view of a modified form of a. sheet of material from which the plates are to be made.

Heretofore in manufacturing automobile license plates and the like, the practice was to cut and perforate eachplate separately, then enamel or coat itthe desired color, after which such platewas placed in a die to be embossed,- and the embossed characters then coated with another color or the'plate was I embossed first and then coated with the color forming the background. after which the embossed portions-were coated with another color. This method required a great deal'of machinery and labor since each operation was performed separately on each plate. and a great deal of time was lost in handling and moving the plates.

' In my present invention, I propose to make sheets of material of suitable dimensions to accommodate a plurality of groups, each grouprepresenting a license plate, such groups being arranged in rows of multiples of five and preferably comprising ten groups arranged in two parallel rows. Each sheet is enameled with an appropriate'color which is tofform the background and such sheet is then' placed in a press containing dies for embossingor printing ten plates in "one opera,-

tens and hundreds columns are, removable I so thatthe numerical order of said dies' can be progresslvely increased as the embosslng operations progress. The tens coluningis changed after each) secondoperation, the

' denomination progressively increasing from zero "to nine, after which the hundreds column is changed to the next lngher' order and the tens column start again with the zero denomination. As two plates containing like numbers are generally required for each automobile, it is necessary to make two sheets containing like numbers. After the sheet has been embossed or printed with theproper numbers and characters, said sheet is placed in a press wherein the embossed portions are coated wtih another color in order to dis tinguish the embossed numbers and characters from the background.

After this operatioiu'the sides of the strips or sheets are trimmed and the two strips containing like numbers are arranged in superimposed relation with the "corresponding numberso'r groups iniiested relation anda sheetot tissue paper or waxed paper is interposed between such strips to protect the face of the lower strip. The two strips thus arranged are now fed to a progressive punch press which first cuts the corners and periterates one side of each pair of plates and which in the next operation severs each pair of superimposed platesiiom the strips and drops said severed plates on a conveyor which delivers thesaine on to an envelop blank which is then folded and sealed.

' Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 10 indicates a sheet of metal enameled in the appropriate color which is to form the background tor the plate This sheet is of a size adapted to form a series of definitely numbered or marked plates. In the present instance, a series of ten plates is to be itormed -frorn each sheet, said plates beingarranged in two parallel rows each containing five plates or groups. The sheet properly enameled is placed in a press containing a die 11 which consists ota series of numbers arranged in ten groups as indicated at 12. These, numbers are arranged in numerical rotation and, in the instance illustrated, the first number is 16 2741 the next one being 162,742 and so on down to the ninth number which is 172749, while the tenth or last number is 1627 40.

- In producing automobile license plates, it will be understood that where two plates with identical numbers are required for each vehicle, two impressions are taken'from each die. After the second impression, the bar 14 containing the tens column is withdrawn and another bar containing the next higher denomination is inserted in position. Thus, in the case illustrated, two impressions are taken of the die,'thereby producing duplicate license plates ranging from 1627 1 0 to 162749. The 4: tens bars are now removed and tens bars carrying. numeral 5 are now placed in position and duplicate plates bearing numbers from 162750 to 162759 are now printed. This operation is continued, the tens bars being replaced after every second operation with bars of successively increasing denem a ios 162000 to16'2999banbe printed by simply. '2

changing the tens and hundreds type bars of the die. As the numbers in theunits row do not vary, these occupy iixed positions in the die. The types of the thousands rows and otherl igher denominations are not made removable in the present instance as it is found more convenient to provide different dies therefor. However, if desired, any or all of the rows or the various denominations can be made removable.

After thQPlEttBS hEU G been printed or embossed, each sheet of ten plates is placed in a press having an inking roller 16 which passes over and coats the embossed portions with ink of appropriate color. Each sheet is now cut along lines w as indicated in Figure 5 into two strips or halves and the strips or halves of the duplicate sheets areplaced together in a superimposed relation with a sheet of tissue or waxed paper 17 interposed therebetween to separate the surfacesot the strips These strips 13 are now fed to a progressive punch press 18' having punches 19 for centering androunding the corners of the plates, pins 20 for perfor'atingthe plates, and punches 21 for forming slots in on de o a P a e.

I the u operation; e h. pa r f plat s is cut by shears 22 on lines y transversely Q t et ip and t sev red Pa f Plates is th n dropp lf d ess c nvey r 2= w ic a ri s th r a e aw y r epu ch press and delivers eachpair of plates on to an envelope blank 25, which blank is then operated by suitable mechanism '26 to fold t en el pe ve a pa f P ate lVhere only one plate is required for vehicles, only one impression is made ofthe die. WVhile the plates as illustrated and described consist of numbers and letters, if desired, plates consisting wholly of letters arranged in alphabetical relation, on plates containing other characters or marks, can be manufactured according tomy method.

While I have disclosed thepreferred form of my invention, it is, obvious that various changes can .be made in my improved method without departing from the spirit of my invention. I i

I claim: 1. An improvedmethod of manufacturing automobile license plates consisting in forming a sheet of enameled metal, embossing thereon at one ope-ration' a complete seriesof grqup Q ,,n mb rs r ha acters, each g up representing a single plate, said groups being arranged in predetermined numerical relation with each other, coating all of the embossed numerals or characters in one operation with an appropriate color, severing said sheet transversely into plates corresponding to said groups and perforating during said severing operation the contiguous sides of the plates operated upon.

2. An improved method of manufacturing automobile license plates consisting in forming a pair of enameled sheets, embossing on each sheet an identical series of groups of numbers or characters, each group corresponding to one plate, coating the embossed portions with another color, arranging the sheets in superimposed relation with the like groups in nested relation, severing the superimposed strips transversely into plates containing like numbers or characters, and delivering each pair of severed plates on to an envelope blank.

3. An improved method of manufacturing embossed plates consisting in embossing on a sheet of material a plurality of groups of characters, sald groups being arranged in multiples of five and each group corresponding to a plate, coating the embossed characters of each sheet. with a color, cutting said sheet into plates, and depositing each separate plate on an envelop blank.

4. An improved method of manufacturing vehicle license plates consisting in impressing two sheets of material with identical series of numbers, said numbers being arranged in groups, each group corresponding to a license blank, the groups of eaclrsheet being arranged in numerical rotation with each other and beingidentical with the corresponding groups of the other sheet, arranging each pair of sheets in superimposed relation with the identical groups of the sheets aligned with each other, interposing between said sheets of material a sheet of paper for spacing the first-mentioned sheets from each other, and severing said sheets simultaneously into respective plates with the corresponding plates in nested relation.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 17th day of November, 1924.

STEPHEN S. ADAMS. 

